Canadian Timber Wolf Cubs born at Cholchester Zoo

[wolf567]

Thought you guys would be interested in this. I am hoping to visit Cholchester Zoo in the next year or two to see these and a few other new additions and encloses they have.

Six beautiful Wolf cubs born at Call Of the Wild!

There have been exciting times at Call of the Wild, the home to Colchester Zoo’s family of Canadian Timber Wolves as a litter of cubs have been born to dominant female Tallulah. It is not known exactly when the cubs were born as they were born down in the den, as all wolf litters are, but it is suspected that they were born around the 19th of May. There were six cubs in total born to our dominant couple Tallulah, who is nine years old and Wilfy who is also nine years old. The pair successfully raised their last litter of cubs and they seemed to have applied their excellent parental skills this time around as well. At just a few weeks old the cubs are very confident and can already be seen out and about in the enclosure from about 3.00pm in the afternoon each day. It has been difficult to spot them altogether but it keepers think that there are 3 black cubs and 3 grey cubs, with markings like their parents.

The six little cubs seem to be forming a good relationship with the older litter, as can be seen in the picture above. Ebony, Little Star, Tiptoes, Scottie, and Two Socks, all seem to be very patient and gentle with the little ones with no sibling rivalry. They are very good at letting the little cubs eat first as to everyone’s surprise the cubs are already eating meat!

Grey wolves are the ancestor of all domestic dogs. Male wolves look very similar to the females but are generally slightly larger, reaching 150cm in body length, 81cm at the shoulder, and weighing up to 80kg. This makes them the largest member of the dog family (except for certain breeds of the domestic dog).

They are social animals, living in packs of between 5 and 10 individuals, with a highly organised social structure. The leaders of the pack are the alpha male and female, the other members are offspring from previous years, who have a strong hierarchical system. The hierarchy is maintained through body postures and other behavioural patterns. Each pack fiercely defends a territory of several hundred square kilometres by scent marking the boundary and howling to members of the same pack and other packs. The alpha male and female are the only members of the pack who breed, so are constantly tested by the subordinate animals who want to become dominant. The other members of the pack help with the hunting and rearing of offspring.

Wolves hunt in co-ordinated packs, concentrating mainly on hoofed animals. They often follow their target prey for a day or more, relying on endurance and stamina, rather than speed, to catch it. Those packs living in the far north often travel hundreds of kilometres each year to follow migrating herds.

Timber wolf habitats are being destroyed to build roads and homes. As a result, prey species are decreasing and wolves are turning to livestock for food. Timber Wolves are, therefore, often killed as farmers believe them to be a danger to their livestock.

This species are listed in CITES Appendix I in some parts of its range, through excessive hunting and loss of their natural prey. Habitat loss has also played a part in the reduction of numbers.

http://www.colchester-zoo.co.uk/index.c ... ail&id=409

[Stellaluna38]

Aww, wolf pups. They are just God's greatest little creation. I hope to see them also, and thanks for posting this, its nice.

[pawnee]

*sprinkles fairy dust* by the power invested in me...I make them Canadian timber wolves from here on.

awww I love wolf pups! They sound so cute and adorable, make me smile just thinking about them!